The Merlin Chronicles
by T.K. Yuy
Summary: [warning: mpreg]Eventually he knew he'd have to go back, and that he'd have to explain why he left. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but it had to be done. He had far more to lose this time around, and he wasn't going to risk that.
1. The Return

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the first thing in a long, long time that I've believed worthy of being posted, so please bare with me; it's been a while. Despite not knowing how long this fic will end up being, or how exactly I'm going to get it from point A to point B, I do have it pretty much plotted out, so hopefully writing it will go quickly and smoothly. I can't guarantee quick updates, or even regular updates for that matter, but I will try to get it typed up and posted as soon as I finish it. I've taken to writing things by hand now, and typing them up later. Easier to keep track of all my notes that way, as I have been known to write in the margins and doodle out stupid little pictures for parts that are playing in my head. 

**This story takes place about fifteen years after 'Order of the Phoenix', so it includes spoilers up to and including the fifth book. I will most likely reference 'Half-Blood Prince' as well, using terms and spells, and possibly some events as well, but Harry's sixth year did not happen that way in this fic. It was started before HBP came out, and this chapter was nearly finished before I finished reading HBP, so I am not making that book part of this fic's history. **

**As always, reviews are appreciated.**

**Teek**

**PS: Cyrenes is pronounced 'S-er-Eh-nays'.**

**DISCLAIMER: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and all related characters. I am merely borrowing them for fan fictional purposes and the entertainment of this story's readers. They will be returned to the pages of their own books once I'm done with them, unharmed and untainted. **

**-----**

The Merlin Chronicles 

by T.K. Yuy

Prologue- The Return 

He hated flying coach. There was no leg room, and the food left much to be desired. Of course, there was the whole process of getting your tickets, and getting your luggage checked through customs, and then boarding the plane. He just hated flying, period.

But no matter how much he hated it, this was one trip that had to happen sooner or later.

He sighed, pushing his dark hair out of his face, and looked over at the blonde head that rested on his shoulder. He smiled tiredly and laid back. There were still four hours left to their flight, and he was no-where near ready for the drain this trip would be. He'd anticipated it, but he knew he wasn't ready for it.

"Ten years," he thought," I wonder how many little ones they have now."

-----

He had to laugh at his little girl as she whipped her head around to look at every little thing, and he knew she'd sleep well when they got back to the hotel. He hadn't anticipated taking her on a 'tour' of the city, but he had a few errands to run, and she'd all but cried when he said they wouldn't be in town long enough to see the sights, so naturally, he gave in.

"Can we go see Big Ben now, dad?" she asked, tugging on his hand.

"We're in the wrong part of the city, Cyrenes, so no, we can't go see it now. I'll take you before we leave in a few days."  
"Why do we have to leave so soon? I like London."  
"So do I, sweetheart, but this isn't the place for us."

She nodded and they walked into the alley they'd Apparate into the hotel from in silence. She knew her father had lots of things to do before they were going to be able to settle down permanently, and she knew that he really wanted to be able to give her a proper home. She was young, sure, but she wasn't stupid, and it wasn't like he kept secrets from her. She knew what was being done and why, and if she were able, she'd help him. This trip was supposed to be strictly business related, and here he'd gone and shown her a lot of the city, despite the risks.

"Dad?" she asked, looking up as he let her hand go.

"What's up hon?"

"Love you."

He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too." he replied," Now, off to bed with you. Long day tomorrow, you know."  
"You nervous?"  
"You know I am."

"Me too."

He ruffled her hair and let her go at the door to her room, bidding her good night, and settled himself in the lounge to catch the evening news. Had he not been so tired, he might have noticed the snowy owl that landed on the balcony.

-----

The next morning, he woke to the gentle shaking his daughter was giving him, and slowly sat up. Like the morning before, his head was killing him, and it made his vision blurry, despite the fact that he had his glasses on. He downed the glass of water she handed him and thanked her, standing carefully.

"Is it bad, dad?" 

"The same as yesterday. I'll be alright. Have you eaten?"  
"No. Didn't know what you wanted to do."  
"Why don't you go in and take a shower, and I'll order something up for us."  
"Okay."

She gave him a hug and a kiss and skipped off to the bathroom, humming happily to herself. He frowned and picked up the room service menu. He really wasn't looking forward to that afternoon, and was even more unhappy about having to expose his daughter to it, but he didn't have many options.

He knew it would happen eventually, and he knew that he would attend, even if he did hate the man for what he put him through. It would be extremely awkward, and it would put him back in the spotlight, if someone were to recognize him. That he could deal with. He was afraid of the effect it would have on his little girl more than anything, but she had told him that she wanted to be there, and that she would be okay. He'd trained her for the onslaught of magic that she'd experience; he just hoped she really was ready.

"Breakfast here?"  
"Not yet, sweetheart. Should be any minute tho'. Come here, I'll do your hair."  
"Can you do the braids?"  
"Sure."

"Can I wear my Wednesday dress?"  
"I wouldn't have let you pack if I didn't think it was appropriate."  
"Yay!"

-----

A light rain had started falling earlier that morning, and he was thankful that he'd remembered to bring the umbrella. If the shaking of his hands was any indication, it would change into a downpour once they got up the hill.

Silverstone Memorial was one of the few Wizarding cemeteries he'd visited, and this particular part of it was where the more important people were laid to rest. It was beyond ancient and the magics that resided in the earth there were incredibly strong. It was a fitting place for him to be buried.

"Dad, calm down." Cyrenes said quietly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay."

"I know, baby."

They stopped just at the top of the hill, and looked through the crowd of people gathered around the white and silver casket. He saw many familiar faces, all of them grieving, and put an arm around his daughters' shoulders as he spotted a large group of red-heads.

"Who's performing the Rites?"  
"Alastor Moody. An Auror."

She nodded and leaned into her father as they continued to observe. She'd been to funerals before, but never a Wizarding one. She'd seen in her father's pensieve what they were like, but it was entirely different to actually be to one. The magic was intense, and is she wasn't careful, she was sure it would make her sick to her stomach.

Things were straight-forward, just as he'd expected, and people were soon hugging and sobbing all over each other. As things broke up and people left, he had a better view of the casket. He used a finger to trace a few runes in the air, and nudged his daughter. She looked up at him and then drew her own set. They snapped their fingers twice and the glowing runes disappeared. However, the magical 'snap' of the action caught the attention of one of the remaining Witches.

Cyrenes' grip tightened on her father's hand as the Witch's gaze landed on them, and she inched closer to him. He put an arm around her protectively and met the brown-eyed woman's eyes. She pushed through the group of red-heads around her and stopped as she met an invisible barrier. Everyone was now looking at them. The barrier started to weaken as more people started towards him, looks of disbelief and shock on their faces.

He would've had to of been blind to not see the shock of platinum blonde hair and silver-blue eyes that pushed through the crowd forcefully. His hands shook even more and the skies took that as their cue to open up and let the rain fall in earnest. He turned and started down the path, Cyrenes right beside him.

"Wait." he heard a voice call. "You there, wait!" 

His steps faltered for a moment, but he kept walking. Cyrenes turned to look over her shoulder at the blonde man, her eyes darkening as she held a hand up.

"Thicken." she said, and the man was stopped in his tracks.

"That wasn't necessary, Cyrenes."

She shrugged and let him pull her close as they apparated back to the hotel. The umbrella was left on the kitchen floor, and she shrugged out of her robe, laying it over the back of the nearest chair. Her father did the same and then fell to his knees. Magic rolled off him in waves and she took a deep breath before reaching out and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, dad. It's over. It's done. We don't ever have to go back now."  
"There are still a few things that I need to take care of before we'll be completely safe, honey."  
"We'll do them later. You need to sleep."

"No, no, I'm fine. I just need a minute to catch my breath, then we can go."  
"Where're we going?"  
"Diagon Alley."  
"Okay. Let me get our other cloaks. I'll be right back."

He let his shoulders drop as she disappeared into the living room and then his room for their cloaks. He knew she'd recognize him. He would've been stupid to think she wouldn't. He didn't spend twelve years with her and not know her powers of perception. He should've known, however, that she'd be able to pick up the little bit of sound their magic would make. He hadn't anticipated that.

"Or the fact that he would be there." he thought, burying his face in his hands. "Fuck."

"And here you tell me not to curse."

"It's not very becoming of a lady."  
"Yeah, yeah. Come on, let's go. Sooner you get this done, the sooner we can go home, right?"  
"Right."

He took a deep breath and stood up. His head was still swimming, but he quickly pushed the offending magic away. He wouldn't be undone just by the mere sight of an old friend. He swung his cloak on and helped her fasten hers, and picked up the discarded umbrella. In seconds, they were gone, and walking out of an alley like two people on a mission.

Cyrenes had remembered everything her father'd told her about Diagon Alley, and knew straight away where they were. The large sign saying 'Leaky Cauldron' was a dead give away, as were the strangely dressed people walking in and out of the building. She held her head high and dared a glance up at her father. He nodded to her and with a hand on her shoulder, led her inside.

People looked up at them as they moved through the dining area, and his eyes narrowed. While it still looked like the Leaky Cauldron he remembered, there were obvious modifications. The bar for one, was set up like the pubs in Muggle London, and had Muggle beers as well as the Wizard drafts on tap. The tables and chairs had all been replaced and looked far too new in such an old place, as did the new mirrors. There were no signs of age on any of it, and he was sure they probably had anti-scratch and break charms on them. The biggest change, however, was in the back, where the wall to Diagon Alley was. Used to be, rather. It had been covered in graffiti, and an old phone booth sat in front of it. He was willing to bet that the phone worked like the one into the Ministry of Magic, but that meant he needed to know what the code was to open the door.

"Excuse me." he said, walking up to the old barkeep.

"Yes? How can I help you?" the man replied, setting the glass he'd been cleaning aside.

"The Alley." he motioned to the phone booth, "how long ago was the door changed?"

"Oh, going on seven years now."

"Much has changed since I was last here."  
"The Ministry's attempting to modernize. Blame it on the Americans."

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, forgetting that his scar -while very faded- was still visible, and that it was a dead give away.

"3-4-2-4-6-6-2-5-5-3-9 will get you through." the barkeep smiled, his eyes twinkling knowingly.

"Thank you." he took Cyrenes by the hand and turned towards the phone.

"I'm here till close up at ten, if you'll be needing a room." the old man called after them.

A nod and a smile to the barkeep, and they walked into the phone booth, and he punched in the numbers. The back of the booth swung out, and they could walk through, into the bustling street. Cyrenes' eyes were as big as saucers as she took it all in, and he smiled. He wore that same look once, when he was first brought to the alley. He wondered how she'd react to the Goblins when he took her to Gringotts. He may have taught her magic -magic that was beyond children of her age- but she hadn't been exposed to very many of the creatures of the Wizarding World. He'd done what he had to do to keep her safe, and he'd continue to do so. While being seen and probably recognized wasn't part of the plan, he would adjust it accordingly. Nothing was as important as his little girl's safety.

"So, where're we going, dad?" she asked as they rounded a corner.

"Have to see a man about a wand." he replied, holding the door to an old familiar shoppe open for her.

"I will be with you in just a second." a voice called to them, and one of the ladders slid down the shelves to the front of the shoppe. "Ah, I wondered when I might be seeing you again. It's been quite a long time."  
"It has. But I'm not here to chat about old times. My daughter needs a wand."

The old man looked from the man to the girl, and blinked. He knew there had been two signatures entering his shoppe, but he'd not expected the mere slip of a girl that stood before him. No, he'd expected someone much older. Much, much older.

"I'm sorry, but I do not know your name." apologized the man, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I didn't give it to you." Cyrenes replied.

"Cyrenes." her father said," Mr. Olivander has been aiding Witches and Wizards in the purchase of their wands for longer than I care to think about. He knows the name of everyone that walks through his shoppe doors."  
"Then why don't you know mine?" her oddly colored eyes challenged the old Wizard.

Mr. Olivander studied the girl for a while, taking in everything about her. He knew who she was related to just by looking at her, and he knew part of her ancestry merely because of who her father was. It was the way she carried herself, and the way she kept her unbelievable magic in check that puzzled him. He wondered if she would be as strong as her father.

"Where were you born, child?" he asked her, walking around the shoppe, down an aisle of dusty wand boxes.

"Glastonbury."

Olivander paused briefly and walked back out to them, taking the dark-haired wizard by the shoulder and pulling him aside.

"She was born in the Abbey?"  
"Where else would I have found the one woman able to perform the Rites needed to bear her?"

Cyrenes rolled her eyes as he sighed and scratched his head. She yelped and grabbed her fathers' arm as dust filtered down from the ceiling, both of them watching as one of the tiles floated down slowly. Olivander's eyes narrowed.

"Curious." he said, looking at the tile. "In the time this wand has been in my family's care, not once has it chosen a Witch or Wizard to bear it."

"There's never been a Witch or Wizard like my Cyrenes. At least not in 1410 years."

"You, my dear girl, are quite special indeed. Lignum Vitae, 16 inches, with dragons' whiskers as its core."

He held the wand out to her and the two men waited to see the reaction. She closed her fingers around it and… nothing happened.

"Give it a flick." Olivander said, stepping out of the way.

"Oh, puleez." she rolled her eyes and swirled her new wand carefully. "Nettoyez tous."

A sparkle of green and violet erupted from the wand and swirled around the entire shoppe, eliminating all the dust, dirt, grime and spider webs that made the place so… dreary. Her father just smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, tracing a few runes into the air. Along with Cyrenes' spell, his runes removed the old curtains and put new ones in their place, as well as fixed the cracks in the windows that had been there since before he could remember.

"Now, isn't that better?" she asked, smiling at the old Wizard.  
"I think it is safe to say that we can expect great things from you, young lady."

Olivander shook his head at the handful of galleons and sickles being offered to him, and smiled as Cyrenes inspected her new wand. With a nod of understanding, he turned and motioned to the door. Cyrenes thanked Mr. Olivander and slipped her wand up her sleeve into the special pocket for it with practiced ease. She followed him back out into the busy street and towards a large white (and slightly crooked) building. As they passed under the arches, she caught her first glimpse of a goblin, and inched closer to her father. He smiled and leaned down to whisper to her.

"There's no place safer than Gringotts. Goblins guard money and gold like they were life."  
"To a goblin, it is, isn't it?"

"In a sense, yes."

They stopped before the tall podium, and looked up at the goblin seated there. It didn't seem to be paying any attention, so her father cleared his throat.

"Here to make a withdrawal." he said, catching the goblins eye.

"You may see the Tellers for such a-"  
"I've never seen the Tellers, Griphook, and I'm not about to now."

The goblin blinked at him, and he nodded, recognizing the Wizard that stood before him.

"Key, please." he said, holding his hand out for the small gold key. "Follow me please."

Another goblin took his place as he climbed down the short ladder to lead them through to where they'd catch the next cart to their vault. Cyrenes watched with wide eyes as he readied the cart, and shook her head as her father held a hand out for her to get on.

"No way. Not getting on that thing."  
"It's just like a roller coaster, Cyrenes."  
"With no over the shoulder safety harness, or seat belt, and it's driven by a goblin, not a computer. It has a manual break, for God's sake!"

"It's perfectly safe, I promise. I've ridden it countless times."  
"Nope, sorry."

"I'm not giving you an option. Get on the cart."

She leveled him with her best glare, but knew it wasn't going to work. He'd always been immune to it. So with a sigh, she carefully got onto the cart and white-knuckled the seat as they started down the track. It was pretty straight and narrow, so she could understand the lack of restraints, but she still didn't like it.

"Vault six hundred and eighty-seven." Griphook said, motioning for them to step out, "Lamp please."

He held the lamp up for the goblin as he unlocked the vault, keeping an eye on his daughters' expression as their small fortune came into view. Cyrenes blinked and did a double take before hesitantly stepping into the vault. You didn't get to see your money in Muggle banks; you just got a slip that had your balance on it. And they never really did their banking _in_ the actual bank; most of their transactions were done through the internet, over the phone, or by using a card. It was very rare that she see her father handle actual cash.

"I'll need to have a second card put on my account, Griphook."

"Very well, sir."

"Take a couple hundred, sweetheart. You'll need spending money for tomorrow."  
"Tomorrow, dad?"  
"You have to do your school shopping, don't you? Or would you prefer I do it?"

She squealed and launched herself into his arms happily. The goblin just rolled his eyes and sat back to wait. If they were going to be counting coins and such, it was going to take a while.

-----

Satisfied with the wards and alarms he'd placed on the room, and with the note and spare mobile on her night stand so she'd know where he'd gone and could get in touch with him should she wake, he headed down to what sounded like a party. From the sound of it, there was quite the crowd. He weaved his way around people on the stairs and headed for the bar, hoping to avoid anyone he once knew that might possibly be around. Unfortunately, his luck was not that good. He spotted a familiar head of red hair and quickly threw a glamour up over his face. They'd have to have better than Auror strength anti-glamours, and be concentrating on him fully to even see part of his real self.

"What can I get you?" the young bartender asked.

"Jack, on the rocks, with just a touch of Odgens."

"Sure thing."

He sipped his drink, watching the festivities. Most of the people here, he remembered from school, and wondered if they had any idea how good they had it. They didn't have to worry about half the things he did, and he was the reason they didn't. He would never deny that, but it was times like these that he really hated them. They had not even the tiniest inclination as to what he'd done for them. What he had allowed be done to him, in order for them to all be free of the evil that still haunted him.

"Hunted is more like it." he muttered into his glass, ignoring the hand that landed on his back as someone tripped into him.

"Great send off for the old man, don't you think?" the man asked him, leaning against the bar next to him.

"Normally the party is held in place of the wake, not after the funeral. There is supposed to be _some_ time for coherent mourning, you know"  
"Dumbledore wanted one before and after, so here we are." the man was obviously over his limits on drinks.

"Just like good little lemmings." he rolled his eyes, raising his glass for the bartender to see. "I fail to see how he warrants such grand parties, when all he did was use the people closest to him. Sent most of them off to their own deaths, he did."

He took a cautious look at the man beside him, and sighed. He should've known it would be a Hufflepuff chatting him up. He shook his head and took a sip of his new drink. There was something creeping into the party that he didn't like, and if it was big enough to make him worry, then things would get ugly fast.

"Considering that most -if not all- of the Weasley's are here, as well as some old professors, it's going to be worse than ugly." he thought, turning to watch the crowd.

"If you didn't like him, why're you here?"  
"One: It wasn't just that I disliked him; I hated Dumbledore almost more than I hated my Muggle relatives. Two: Despite my feelings towards him, I had to be here. Three: In case you haven't noticed, there's nothing around stating that there was going to be an after funeral party for him. If I'd known, I assure you, Mr. Finch-Fletchly, that I would not be here. If not for the business I must attend to tomorrow, I'd've been gone already. Now," he downed the rest of his drink, put the proper amount of money on the counter for the barkeep, "if you'll excuse me, there's something I must attend to."

He walked away, leaving a confused Hufflepuff to stare after him as he made his way into the center of the crowd. The darkness he'd felt was definitely bigger than he originally thought, and would probably put up a fight. He didn't want to fight anyone or anything now, dark or otherwise, but it didn't look like he had too much of a choice. He saw a small group of men and women sitting around a table in the back, all dressed in black, and all wore robes that were very familiar to him. How they managed to slip into the party with no-one noticing them, he didn't know, but then again, he really didn't care. They were here, and he was here, and he was going to take care of the situation. He walked over to the table and pulled up a chair, causing all of them to look at him.

"You looking for someone in particular, or will anyone do?" he asked, eyes narrow as he crossed his arms and glared at them.

"This is a private table, so I suggest you leave, bub." one of the two men said, wand sliding easily from his sleeve into his hand.

"Honestly, why must your lot always resort to violence? Don't you people know how to be civil?"

He let his glamour melt away, and ran a hand through his hair, eyes flashing. The two women at the table backed up with a hiss, and the men merely stood up. He rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair.

"Look, I'm not here looking for a fight." he said, picking up the pack of cigarettes on the table, "You brought something here with you that has no right being in this world, and I just want you to send it out."

"And you think we'll just up and leave because you said so, is that it?" one of the women sneered.

"Either that, or I'll make you leave, with your tails between your legs," he lit up a cigarette and tossed the pack back onto the table, "or in a body bag, it makes no difference to me."

"Make us leave?" the larger of the two men laughed.

"Odds are against you, Potter." added the second man.

"A duel it is then. You clear the floor and I'll call my second down."

They all looked at him like he was crazy when he pulled his cell phone out and waved at them in a shooing manner, as if he were scolding a child. The men glared at him, but the women dragged them into the crowd. One of them cast a quick levitation spell on her, and a Sonorus charm, aiming to catch every ones attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," she said, smirking, "there's no reason to be alarmed. We've got a bit of entertainment planned for you, so if you'd all be so kind as to clear the floor, we'll get started."

He chuckled as she flashed her Dark Mark, and finished explaining to Cyrenes what was happening. She was telling him to hang up and let her put her shoes on, so he did. He was glad she was excited.

"This will be good practice for her." he thought, looking over at the group of old friends and professors that were trying to push through the crowd to get to where the four Death Eaters were standing. "No, don't think so."

A quick flick of his wrist and he'd made it impossible for them to draw their wands, and honed his hearing into their conversation.

"What the hell is going on?" he heard Ginny growl, "I can't see anything through all these people."  
"I'm sure we'll be able to see whatever they're planning." Seamus Finnigan's familiar borough said darkly.

"Will we just see it or will we be part of it?" wondered Ron, tugging on his wand.

"The signature on this magic is the same as the man from the cemetery, Severus." Hermione pointed out, putting a hand affectionately on the old potions master's arm.

"We don't know who that man or the girl with him was, so don't jump to conclusions, dear." Snape reasoned.

"It is very similar to his, you know it-"  
"It will not do anyone any good to stand here and argue over whether or not that was Harry; if the signature's are the same, then it's safe to say that man is working with the Death Eaters." Charlie interrupted. "Why else would he have prevented us from drawing our wands?"

He chuckled at Charlie's logic, and had to admit that in a way, he was working with the Death Eaters. He was, by putting a hold on everyone else's wand, eliminating the chance of interference in their friendly little duel. He saw Cyrenes start down the stairs and through the crowd and smiled brightly as he caught her eye. She'd dressed very appropriately for the occasion. The Death Eaters had the center of the room cleared now, and were each concentrating in a different corner of the space open. He had to give them credit; not many would be willing to risk using as much energy as they were to call something as significant as the duel platform he knew they were calling.

"Summoning things via apparition is dangerous, isn't it Dad?" Cyrenes asked, coming to stand beside her father as the table shimmered into being.

"If you don't have the power or the skill to do it, then yes, it's extremely dangerous. If there weren't four of them, and the lesser demon that's been floating around, I would've thought they were crazy. But they're all old enough to know how to tap into the power their Marks allow them."

She nodded, and followed him up the steps to stand by the four. The men cocked an eyebrow at the two of them, and he could hear the Weasley's and the group they were with cry out as he walked around the platform, inspecting it. He snorted at the large blood stain on the green accent flags, and the stain on the floor, but didn't say a word.

"Meet your satisfaction?" one of the women cackled.

"It hasn't changed since I was last here." he replied. "Well, it changed a little. Your former master's not standing on it."

"Soon you won't be either." laughed one of the men.

"I'll take on the men. Cyrenes, you can have the ladies."

"Ladies? I see a Veela and a Harpy half-blood, but no ladies." his daughter smirked, green eyes sparkling a bit more purple than usual.

"Why you little bi-"  
"I'll tell you now, you can't win this." Cyrenes sighed, pulling her wand from the holster on her hip and flicking it in their direction, "'Cause you're way too slow."

Their wands were whipped out of their hands and neatly into her open hand before either of the women could react. Her father laughed and held a hand up, causing the Silencing charm and the Difindo charm thrown at him to disperse around them in a flurry of blue and white sparks. The women had taken their true forms, causing the crowd to make even more of a fuss, and were using their raw magic to throw all kinds of spells at Cyrenes. Her own shield was holding up nicely, and she showed it off by removing her cloak and stretching, her black vinyl pants and top reflecting the colored sparks. He did the same, knowing that his current robes were easily recognizable by his old friends.

"They really are pathetic." she said, turning to her father. "May I, please?"  
"You may."

"Thank you."

She drew many runes with her new wand, giggling at the brighter colors they took than when she drew them with her fingers, and set them rotating slowly. Their rotation grew faster and faster, and before any of the Death Eaters (or anyone in the crowd) could discern what they were, they merged into one, and a giant rune circle appeared on the duel platform. The blood that had been there for ages now, started to shimmer a deep red and her father laid his own set of runes over her circle, drawing the energized blood into the center.

"What in the…" he heard Hermione and McGonagall breath.

An ear-piercing scream could be heard growing louder and louder, and the Death Eaters gripped their left forearms in pain as they doubled over. The dark mark appeared in the center of the circle, and shadows from around the room were pulled into it, solidifying into the form of the demon the Death Eaters were planning on bringing into the Mortal world. Cyrenes twirled her wand expertly, drawing a locking rune, and the beast was now in a cage of white light. Her father hissed at the Dark Mark, and the snake depicted in it rose, heading straight for the Death Eaters. Their marks were burned off as the snake surged through each of them, before it returned to the Mark. Before returning completely into the skull, the snake looked up at the caged demon. Its eyes flared and it reared up, grabbing the cage, dragging it back down with it. The skull seemed to laugh, opening its mouth and swallowing both the cage and the demon whole. The entire summoning circle glowed white, dissolving slowly, as did the Dark Mark.

The crowd was absolutely silent as the two inspected their work, picked up their discarded cloaks and walked up to the Death Eaters. The four looked up at them with pleading eyes, and both father and daughter looked at each other.

"You're getting off easy." Cyrenes said darkly, her eyes slowly fading from violet back to their normal emerald. "I'd've preferred to send you to join your Master, but oh well."

"That's enough, Cyrenes." her father chided, his eyes sparkling with raw magic. "You know the rules."  
"Rules are meant to be broken."

"_My_ rules are not, and we will discuss your disrespect later."

She shut her mouth and stepped back, putting her wand away. She knew better than to argue with her father, especially when he was calling and controlling things so much stronger than she could. She quickly scanned the room, and found the group of Weasleys and old professors her father had bound, and snorted. They were staring at them like they'd seen a ghost (which she had to agree with), and there were a few trying desperately to get their wands out of their holsters, pockets or sleeves.

"Hm… looks like he's the only one not trying to do anything." she thought, looking back over her shoulder at her father. "I wonder…"

She quickly tuned her father's magic out and caught the dark-eyed man's gaze. She hadn't anticipated the force of the push of magic he threw at her, and flung her own back at him without hesitation. He took a quick step back as it hit him, but never broke the eye contact, and tried to push more.

"I don't think so, Professor." she told him, smirking as she tossed a quick succession of memories at him.

He attempted to block, and succeeded for a few seconds, before the most important flash of memory was thrown at him. He gasped, stumbled backwards, and was quickly enveloped in a sea of red-heads. Cyrenes laughed at him.

"You're good, but I'm-"

She didn't get to finish the thought as she was forcibly pulled out of his mind, and blown backwards across the platform. She saw the Death Eaters tied up and bound by magical ropes, and then looked at her father. His eyes were nearly black now, and she could see the magic around him.

"How _dare_ you invade his privacy!" he hissed at her, letting his power hit her shields threateningly.

"He started i-"  
"No, he most certainly did not!" he didn't care that she'd started to pull higher magics to boost her shields. "I am aware of every little thing going on in this establishment, and out on the street, so don't you dare try to tell me he started it."  
"But he di-"  
"He was pushing at me, and quite enjoying the challenge of trying to get through my wards. You interrupted and threw yourself into his mind. You didn't ask permission, nor did you even seem to care that he wanted you out."  
"I didn't fe-"  
"You were not taught Occulmency and Legimency to abuse the power, and you most certainly were not taught to disregard others privacy."  
"Dad, I-"

"No more. We are done, Cyrenes. You are grounded until further notice. Hand over your wand."

"But dad!"  
"I said hand it over!"

He shattered her shields and it scared her. She'd never pissed him off so badly that he would risk getting so close to physically harming her. She stood up carefully, not wanting to risk running into rampant energy, and pulled out her wand, offering it to him formally. He snatched it away from her and the energy in the room dropped drastically, his eyes returning to normal as people found the spells placed upon them were removed. The Weasleys and their group were pushing through the crowd that was trying desperately to leave, and he threw a cold look over his shoulder at them.

"I would not advise getting any closer, Mrs. Snape." he said, voice leaving no room for argument as he turned his attention back to his daughter. "Get up stairs."  
"Dad, I'm so-"  
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to. I will not tolerate such behavior, and if I have to do this again, you will not get off so lightly. Do you understand?"  
"Yes."

"Good. Now go."

Cyrenes nodded and hung her head as she started off the platform. The crowd that remained parted for her, and watched her carefully as she stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around.

"I understand perfectly, dad. Lesson learned." she shot at him, with a mental bow. "I won't underestimate my opponent again."

"Good." he replied. "You held up well. You've completed your rune training."

"Thanks."

She caught Snape's eyes and let the violet in her eyes flash.

"I'm sorry." she said aloud, and turned on her heel to return to their room.

When she was out of sight, he let his eyes flare back up a bit as he turned to the group of shocked people standing behind him. He knew right away that Hermione and Snape recognized him, and it was slowly dawning on most of the others who it was they were looking at, but his immediate attention was on his old Potions Master. The mans' shields were shaking, and his hands followed suit.

"Sit down, Professor, before the shock sends you to the floor." he said, conjuring up a chair with a flick of his wrist and roll of his eyes.

"You fucking ba-" Hermione started, flying forward, wand drawn and aimed.

"Thicken." he said, holding a hand up. "I told you not to get any closer. For the safety of your…" he cocked his head and studied her for a moment, "second child, I hope you listen."

She backed down instantly, and fell into the chair at appeared behind her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were looking at her with concerned looks on their faces, Ron was as white as a ghost, Ginny quickly grabbed Seamus' hand, and Snape sat down next to his wife, taking her now trembling hand in his own.

"I am in no mood to answer a thousand and one questions, nor do I want to disrupt your lives. Unfortunately, I think it's a little too late for the latter, and I do owe you some sort of explanation, I suppose." he said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting up. "So I will meet you all at Hogwarts on the thirty-first, after I conclude my business here in London, and the American's will have had more than enough time to cut through all the red tape with the Ministry. If that doesn't work for you, then you're shit out of luck, because that's all I'm giving you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bit more reprimanding and grounding to do before I go to bed. The platform will remove itself once you've all gotten off it, and all damages will be taken care of once the doors are locked behind you. Good-night."

He turned on his heel and started up the stairs, robes disappearing in a flurry of red and gold sparkles, revealing the plain black and brown robes he had been wearing earlier. Ron took that as his cue.

"When'd you get so damn cold?" he spat.  
"Ask your Minister of Magic." was the only reply they got as he turned and finished up the stairs.

The whole group was silent, before the Weasley clan erupted into a heated argument about the happenings. The professors joined in, and even Hermione got to her feat to make her own point, leaving Snape sitting in the chair, head in his hands. It wasn't until Arthur put a hand on his shoulder that he was brought back to reality.

"Enough." he said, yet no-one stopped shouting. "Enough!"

They turned to look at him and he stood up slowly, using the back of the chair for support.

"I'm having lunch with the Minister tomorrow." he told them, and Hermione moved to stand next to him.

"And you're just going to tell him 'Harry Potter said to-"

"That girl, his _daughter_, gave me information that the Minister needs to know."

"And what about us?" demanded Molly.

"You will all be told what I know, after he is notified."

"We were that boy's family!" the irate witch shouted.

"Yes, but there were others he considered himself closer to, before he left, and now he has a daughter that he's willing to kill for, Molly." Minerva interjected, "You go and speak to him tomorrow, Severus. If all goes well, you'll tell us all about it after, I'm sure."

He nodded and offered his wife his arm, escorting her out of the pub. The others followed, but he knew he'd have some major explaining to do once they got home.

No-one noticed the bright green eyes that watched from one of the rooms over looking the street, or the shadows that crept into the Leaky Cauldron as they all left…

TBC…


	2. Enemy of God

**The Merlin Chronicles**

**by Teek**

**Chapter I- Enemy of God**

Severus Snape was not a man easily shaken. After serving as a double agent and decieving the Dark Lord, he'd perfected the 'art' of coldness. There was very little that could get under his skin and cause him to loose his cool. His wife was one of those things, and apparently, the events of the previous night were as well. He'd hardly slept a wink, and when he did manage to get a few wihours, he was woken by the horrible images he'd been given.

He was currently sitting at his desk, books and papers strewn all over it, and littering every flat surface in the study. There was something incredibly wrong with all of it. Every memory and image that had been forced into his head didn't fit with anything he knew was possible. The Dark Lord had been capable of keeping many secrets, even from his most trusted of Death Eaters, but there were things that had never been kept from them, and most of them were his plans for Potter. He went out of his way to inform them all of his plans and intentions, and more often than not, Severus was part of making it happen.

"The duel I knew about, but this…" he sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"If you took a break from all this and just tried to relax, it might look clearer."

He looked up at the sound of his wife's voice, and smiled sadly. She knew how stubborn he was when he was working, and how preoccupied he'd become once engrossed in a project, but didn't say anything. It was one of the many things he fell in love with. He stood up and stretched, listening to his back pop with some amusement, and moved to the couch, where she flopped down next to him, head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in closer and kissed her hair.

"I'm sorry. This whole thing just doesn't make sense. I don't know how any of it is possible."

"I might be able to help, if you tell me what it is she showed you."

"I know, but not yet. I need to talk to Lucius first, see what he knows, if anything. He didn't seem at all surprised that I wanted to meet earlier. I might make a trip to see Lupin after, to browse through the Black library."

"Let me know if you are going, will you? I'll be finished, or nearly so, with Poppy by then, and can join you."

He smiled at her and conjured up a pot of coffee and a set of mugs. Hermione had been an incredibly gifted student, excelling in every subject she took, and she was not afraid to speak her mind, regardless of whether the person was a professor or classmate. She'd put him in his place many times, and amazed him each and every time. It had been a great shock to himself when he realized he was harboring feelings that were less than apropriate for a girl who was less than half his age, and even more so that she returned them. It had taken them quite a bit of work to get where they were now, more on his part than hers, and it had been a completely enjoyable ride. He'd rediscovered things about himself that he had long since buried, and found that by truly being himself, he could improve his skills beyond what they were. She'd taught him more than he had ever thanked her for, and didn't know if it was possible to make her truly aware of what she'd done for him.

"I'll call as soon as I'm done with Lucius. Lunch in London?" he asked, sipping his coffee.

"That'd be nice. My turn to pick where, isn't it?"  
"Yes."

"Then I'll have to pick somewhere different. You should go take a shower and get ready."

He looked at the clock and sighed, kissing her hand as he got up. A shower would wake him up, and hopefully let him clear his head before meeting Lucius. Hermione reached over for a book left on the coffee table, hoping to find some insight as to what was bothering her husband.

"_Historia regum Britanniae_?" she read from the spine, mind automatically translating it ("History of the Kings of Britian" c. 1137). "So whatever that girl showed him has something to do with the past…"

---

He'd been sitting by the window since returning to their room the night before, staring out into muggle London without really seeing anything. There was a cup of coffee in front of him, the spoon in it sitting still, and she noticed there was no heat coming off the cup. With a sigh, Cyrenes dressed quietly, keeping her eyes on her father all the while.

"I may be grounded, but that sure as hell isn't going to stop me from getting my school supplies." she thought, tying her shoes and pulling on her cloak.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

She stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned from the door to face her father's level gaze.

"When I said you were grounded, I didn't mean just magically. You don't go anywhere without me, or someone appointed by me, and considering that I trust no-one, you're out of luck in that." he said, standing and stretching. "I have buisiness at the Ministry of Magic today, and you are coming with me."

"But dad!"

"I don't want to hear it. It's been a very long, not to mention tiring, two weeks, and after what you did last night, I don't expect it to get much better."  
"I'll be good, I promise."  
"I don't want promises, Cyrenes, I want to see results. You are further along magically than many -if not all- of the people you'll be meeting at Hogwarts, and despite being taught how to use those abilities like an adult, you insist on behaving like a child. If that is how you're going to act, it's how you're going to be treated."  
"I _am_ a child! I'm eleven-years old, for Merlin's sake, and you want me to act like I'm a hundred and eleven! You made plenty of mistakes when you were my age, so-"

" I was your age before I even knew I was a Wizard, let alone one as strong as I am, and you've been learning since before you could stand up on your own! I was foolish when I was young, and there are many things I would do different if I could, you know that. We have the ability to use magic in ways that have been long since lost the world, and because of that, we don't have the luxury of making mistakes. We must think before we act, _especially_ now that Dumbledore is dead. I know I don't need to remind you why that is."

Cyrenes stared at her shoes, holding back the tears she wouldn't let herself cry the night before, when her father tilted her chin up and made her look him in the eye. He was upset, but not angry, and he had obviously been thinking about things that were more than painful to remember. She took a deep breath and willed herself to be strong, and to do what she had to in order to fix what she'd done wrong. He was right, and she knew it. They weren't allowed to make mistakes with the power they had… people ended up hurt, or worse, when they did. She had learned that the hard way.

"No, you don't. Will it be easier once we're done with all the legal bullshit?"  
"Once you are allowed to attend Hogwarts, yes. I'll be able to rest much easier knowing you are safe while I continue to work on getting us settled here permanantly."

"I'm not going to be able to help you if I'm at Hogwarts."

"Do you remember what I told you about the Ministry's lowest level?"  
"The Department of Mysteries is down there."

"Yes, and I have some serious work to do down there. Work that I can't do with you around."  
"I'll be a distraction. Like I was when we were in Quebec."

"What happened in Quebec?" he looked genuinely confused.

"Raúl, duh! I totally screwed that up for you."

He pulled her into a hug, laughing at the memory. They'd been in Quebec more as a holiday than anything else (he didn't count his meeting with a Veela politician as work), and he'd met a young man that had sparked a little intrest. Nothing serious, just someone he felt a small connection with, and they'd had a few 'dates', if they could be called that. Being as Raúl was a muggle, they'd been out as muggles, and he'd been so involved in their conversation that he never heard his daughter tell him she was going down the street to the book store. She'd been on her way back to them when a group of boys started hassling her, and her defensive shields came up automatically. He'd gone into concerned father mode immediately and jumped up from the table he and Raúl were sitting at, causing the other man to spill hot coffee down his front, and his magic had rose so quickly that he didn't realize it had hit the muggle. Raúl, thinking he'd been pushed, retaliated and they'd almost come to blows before Cyrenes disarmed her own situation and then theirs. She'd been furious at the other man for what he'd said to her father, and slapped money on the table before dragging him away, muttering about 'stupid muggles'.

Kissing her hair, he took a good look at her and smiled. She hadn't objected to all the moving around, or to how hard he pushed her magically. She'd taken his occassional dating in stride, and had even set him up with a few of the idiots he'd mistakenly gone out with. What was most important to him, however, was the fact that she was just like every other child. She knew when to ignore him, and when not to. She knew when to be afraid of him, and when to push back, and not take any of his crap. She knew where she came from and used it. She was so much like him, and so much like her fa… he shook his head and dismissed that thought.

"It's better not to think of it." he told himself, nodding towards his coffee, "It won't change the fact that I left… if anything, it'll make it worse."

Seeing the steam coming off his coffee, and that the spoon was slowly returning to its normal state (as opposed to being cherry red to heat the cold drink) he moved to pick the mug up, motioning for his daughter to take a seat. She did as asked, and he conjured up a cup of hot chocolate for her, and called over the chair from across the room. What he needed to tell her was important, and was best done before they headed to the Ministry.

"You know there's a possibility of seeing your-" he started, before she cut him off.

"Yes, and I'll be the perfect lady."

"Good. What I need to do at the Ministry is not going to be easy, on either of us."

He hoped the mental images he sent her explained enough, because having to do it in words… it was just too hard. He couldn't explain it even to himself. He just _knew_ what had to be done, and how he should go about doing it.

"I understand." she said, her eyes a bit more violet than usual. "Can I go down and get breakfast?"

"Sure. I'm going to take a quick shower then I'll be down." he said, sipping his coffee and nodding towards her. "Your glamour is up, so whenever you decide to go down…"

"Dad?"

"Yeah hon?"

"You do know I'm really sorry about last night, right? I was out of control, and there was no excuse for it and I-"  
"I know. If things go well at the Ministry, we may go shopping later. Definitely tomorrow, if we don't get to go. We'll hopefully be done in this part of London, and I can take you to the house."

"I'd like that."

She got up and hugged her father, kissing his cheek as she went to get her cloak. When the door had clicked shut behind her, he let out a sigh. She was definitely growing up too fast.

"Hogwarts will help. She can be herself there, and I won't have to worry about her. I can worry about making sure things are ready for when she comes home on break instead."

He groaned and got up, his mug and hers disappearing as he went to get his clothes for the day.

---

Despite the damage that had been done to the Ministry of Magic building during the final years of the war, not much about it had changed. The floors were, for the most part, rebuilt as they were. The part that most Witches and Wizards didn't know, however, was that there was a new level nesteled between levels one and two. The current Minister of Magic, when asked about the level, told reporters that "During the war, St. Mungo's was hard pressed for space, and the Atrium and confrence rooms on different levels were made into make-shift hospitals. Many people worked around the clock, and there were more than a few incidents of people splinching themselves, or worse, while attempting to Apparate home or to a hotel. This new level will provide Ministry officials and staff a place to relax and get some sleep if working late, as well as work as an over flow area for Mungo's."

People later found out that the new level was very much like a hotel, in that it had 3 restaurants, a spa, gym, and at least a hundred suites, among other amenities. The medical facilities were linked directly to St. Mungo's, and was state of the art. It made the newest of Muggles hospitals look bad. It also acted as a second lobby, and you were forced to change elevators on this floor, if you were heading to Level 1A, which held the Ministers office, and those of the other high ranked officials.

He'd been in the ministry a few times since it's rennovations, but had avoided Level 1A like the plague. The Minister's office was there, the assistant to the Minister's office was there, Severus' office, Remus' office, and… his office. He'd tried to decline it, but they would have nothing of it.

"Dad?" he heard his daughter whisper, pointing to a door, "Why's that got your name on it?"

"It's mine?"

Indeed, the gold plaque did have his name on it.

_**Harry Potter**_

_**Head Auror**_

_**Special Forces Division**_

_**Order of the Phoenix**_

It was a possition he didn't want, that he didn't deserve, because he'd done basically none of the planning and strategising that was done during the war. That had all been done by the Order, and it was collective. He shook his head and they continued walking, following their escort to the Head Auror's office. He was not looking forward to this.

"Here we are." the short man said, knocking on the door, and opening it at the 'come in' that came from behind it.

"Thank you." he said, motioning for Cyrenes to go in first.

The door closed behind him as they walked in, and the woman behind the desk looked up, eyes narrow, but very familiar. The magic around her was different, which he had expected, but it wasn't the kind of magic that was supposed to be there. She set her quill down and stood up, walking around the desk to stand right in front of him. He dared not breathe, or move, while she was sizing him up. Her eyes flashed amber, and before he knew it, a hand had lashed out and connected with his cheek.

"That's for leaving, with no word, avoiding the world and the family you left behind." she growled, slapping him again with the other hand, "And that's for thinking you'd be able to walk into my office and expect me to not see through the glamors, or to not know who she is."

He felt all the air leave his lungs, and he took half a step back. The woman continued to glare at him, her dark hair very quickly lightening, and becoming shorter, and was finally the way he remembered it: short, spikey, and hot pink. He wasn't ready for her to fling herself at him either, and stumbled backwards a bit before keeping his balance.

"And this is for being alive, and well, and for finally coming home." she cried, trying to crush him to her, despite her very pregnant belly being in the way. "We missed you so much, Harry. So much."

He tentitavly wrapped an arm around her, and then the other, returning the hug. He hadn't had this much contact, or felt this many emotions, with anyone other than Cyrenes in longer than he would care to admit. He felt a small hiccup of magic from the baby, and reined himself in, taking a step away from her. She looked at him quizzically, eyes amber colored now.

"Don't want to hurt him." he said, nodding towards her belly.

"You won't." she turned her gaze to Cyrenes, "She's beautiful, Harry."

"Where are my manners? Cyrenes, this is Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin. Tonks, my daughter, Cyrenes P-"  
"I know her name. She is on the family tree, after all."

He blinked, and cursed quietly. He'd forgotten all about the tapestry, and about Tonk's family. She motioned for the two of them to take a seat, and then conjured up a pot of tea.

"Don't worry, Remus and I are the only ones who know. I charmed it the moment I noticed it, and you're both completely blurred out." she reassured him. "Now, what can I do for you, Harry? Eleven years is a long time to be gone, and then to just appear here at the Ministry…"

"We were seen at the Leaky Cauldron last night." he corrected.

"Ah, so that was what Severus was muttering about on his way in to see Lucius. I haven't seen the old bat that worked up since his wife told him he was going to be a father." she covered her mouth, and hiccuped. "Sorry. You did know that he married Hermione, right?

He laughed, handing Cyrenes a cup of tea. He should have known better than to expect Tonks to act any differently than when he left. The woman never changed.

"Yes, I did. Was a bit shocked. She was with Ron when I left."

"Anyone tell you how it happened?"

"We've not had any contact with Dad's old friends, short of our confrontation with them last night." Cyrenes explained, sipping her tea and smiling at the Auror. "Good tea."

"Glad you like it. Enjoying London, Cyrenes?"

"Very much, thank you. We're hopefully going back to Diagon Alley to do my school shopping later today. It's so different than the shops in the States. Americans are much more open about their religions and their heritages. Secrecy laws are much less strict than they are here. But the magic's not nearly as strong there."

"It is different magically, most definitely. I've been to the States a few times, years ago. When you were still in diapers."

Harry hung his head, and Tonks saw the look that passed over his face, because she reached over and took his hand.

"He would love to see you, if you've got the time." she said, and he looked up at her. "Can you postpone your shopping trip until tomorrow? Come for dinner tonight, catch up, and we can make a day of it tomorrow, the four of us."

"He won't react like you did, Tonks. He's not emotionally equipped for it. I didn't do him any favors by leaving the way I did. He lost everyone and I-"  
"He'll understand, Harry, more than you think. We've talked about what we would do when you finally came home… It won't be what you're expecting, I'm sure."

"I don't want to just spring my return on him. Give him some warning- a day or two maybe."

"Dad," Cyrenes said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I've never met Mr. Lupin, but from what I remember of your stories, I doubt he'd want to wait to see you. He'd be more upset if you didn't come by straight away."

"Quite right." Tonks beamed, "Besides, the house is more than properly warded, and you wouldn't be dealing with half as many people as you would staying in a hotel, or worse yet, at the Cauldron. Cyrenes will have her own room, and there's plenty for us girls to do while you boys catch up. Being an Auror, I have the ability to turn the floo off straight from home, so there won't be any unwelcome guests, and Dobby's been itching for a reason to cook a large meal…"

"Dobby? What happened to Kreacher?"

"Ask my husband… he loves telling that story. He can also tell you about Ron and 'Mione's break up."

"Please, Dad, can we? I don't mind putting our shopping off. I haven't even gotten my letter yet, so there's really no rush. I'd like to visit for a bit."

The look on his daughter's face was what did it. She looked her eleven years, when he was used to her appearing much older, and she was so excited about the prospect of meeting more of his old friends. He suspected that she wanted to get to know Tonks better as well. He could see her itching to do some magic, what he didn't know, but her holding back suggested that she required permission. She was grounded, and she knew that, but it wouldn't last long. She'd already agreed to a formal apology to Severus, and right now, that was enough for him. He smiled and reached over to hug her.

"Alright. We'll come and stay for a bit. What time is dinner?"

"Yes!"

---

He'd known that the news would be more than a little shocking, but he hadn't expected a reaction like this. Lucius was currently pacing back and forth across his office, raking a hand through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck- a nervous habit that was very seldom seen in the Lord Malfoy. The magic in the room had changed drastically, and every now and again, the themperature would spike as a result.

"Lucius, please, you're making me diz-"  
"You're certain it was him? It's possible that this man just-"  
"How many other people do you know can wear the robes of Godric Gryffindor, Lucius? Of course I'm sure. He addressed us all as well, and I'd know the boys' signature and voice anywhere."

"And the girl? There's no mention of a child being born to him."  
"For Merlins' sake, do I have to _show_ you what was shoved at me for you to believe me?"

"Show?"

Lucius' blue eyes were wide, and he stared at Severus. He nodded once, and allowed the controlled volley of images to be passed to him. Images of things he had been having nightmares of for years, and of things that should have been impossible. As soon as his mind was his own again, he sat down, head in his hands.

"What have I done?" he breathed, reaching up to grip the hand that settled on his shoulder.  
"Lucius, please, tell me I've come to the wrong conclusions."

"You were the first one there after it all happened, weren't you? Was… was he bloody?"  
"What? I was not the mediwitch that attended to him, Lucius, I have no way of- wait. You mean… you? He used you?"  
"Who else would he have used, Severus? Lestrange, McNair? None of them were pure enough, or strong enough. They wouldn't have lasted more than five minutes in his possession."

"Then that would make you… fuck. That's why he left."  
"Draco always blamed me, you know. When Harry left, he told me that I had betrayed them. That I was the reason Harry was sick, and that I was going to have to find him and 'make it right'. Short of business, I haven't talked to my son in nearly eleven years. Somehow, he knew. Draco knew what I'd been made to do, and knew what had become of it all, and he was right. I'm the reason Harry left."

"Lucius…"

"It's nearly one, Severus, call on your wife and take her to lunch. I… I'm going to check a few records, and talk to the Department of Mysteries. After everything that happened last night at the Cauldron, and now with this… I need to know out how to fix it."

Severus nodded and gave his friends' hand one last reassuring squeeze before heading out of the office to the public floos. He threw a handful of powder in, and called out his destination.

"Severus," a gruff voice said as a face appeared in the fire. "if this is about Ha-"  
"Are you free for lunch today, Lupin? We need to talk." he interupted, his voice shaking.

"I hadn't planned on going anywhere."

"I'll be over shortly then. Just need to get ahold of Hermione to tell her where to meet me."

"Of course. I'll have a pot of coffee put on for you- you look like you need it."

"Thank you."

He threw another handful in and soon his wifes' face met his.

"I'm heading to Lupins' for lunch. We'll have to take a raincheck for going out."  
"Meeting with Lucius wasn't good I take it?"  
"It definitely made sense out of what that child showed me, but none of what it brought to light is good."

"I'm just finishing here, so I'll meet you there."

He nodded, and flooed over to number twelve Grimauld Place, only to be met by the master of the house, and a steaming cup of coffee. He dusted his robes off and took the offered cup, following the other man into the living room. He took his usual seat, and raked a hand through his hair with a sigh. This was not going to be as easy.

"What is it about this whole situation that has you so flustered, Severus?"

"You say that as if you understand, when I assure you, Lupin, you could not possibly even begin to comprehend what is that was revealed to me today."  
"If you've learned that the girl that was with Harry last night and at the funeral is his daughter, then yes, I can certainly understand that you know when and how she was conceived. I'm sure Lucius has gone running to the Archives and pulled all birth records for that year, in various countries at that, and I am even more sure that he will find nothing."

Severus bolted out of his seat, eyes narrow and angry, and slammed Remus into the wall. He was met with an steely amber glare, but little resistance.

"You knew!" he growled, "You bloody well knew why he left, and told no-one!"

"What would you have me do, Severus, send the entire Wizarding World a letter, telling them that their savior was to give birth to the Dark Lords' heir? At the time he left, I knew nothing more than the rest of you. It was only after she was born that I learned anything, and it was then that I acted to keep her existance a secret."

Severus released him, and started pacing.

"But you told no-one! Not even Lucius, when he has a right to know that he's go-"  
"If Harry were your son, would you fight his battles for him, when he is old enough, mature enough, and more than capable of doing it himself?"

"He is not my son, and leaving the way he did certainly didn't show that he's mature enough or capable of handling his own problems. Stop making excuses for him."

"I'm not making excuses, Severus, I'm merely doing what James would have done- understand. For the longest time, I wanted to kill him for leaving, wanted to rip him to pieces for putting us all through hell, but then I remembered something very important. Something that you seem to have forgotten."

"And what would that be, Lupin?"  
"Albus Dumbledore."  
"Harry hated him, so how could he have been important?"

"Why did Voldemort fear Dumbledore so much? Why, in the beginning, was he afraid to fight him alone?"  
"Dumbledore could do things with a wand -and without- like no-one else. Was afraid of his abilities- that he wasn't strong enough to defeat the old man."

"Yet Albus never actively went after him, even tho' he knew he was stronger, and could defeat him. Albus knew that one day, Harry would surpass him magically, and he wanted him to be ready. If he were to go against Voldemort and fail to defeat him, he wouldn't have be able to groom Harry to handle the responsibility he was going to set upon him.

" Godric Gryffindor had a secret. A secret that he knew must be kept at all costs, and Albus figured out what it was. Albus knew why Slytherin wanted to preserve the bloodlines so badly, and why Gryffindor didn't. I think Harry figured it out as well, and that's why he hated the old man so much. Why he left the way he did. He needed answers, and he couldn't get them here."

"Albus knew a great many things about the Founders that were never in a text book, Lupin, so it doesn't surprise me that he was keeping things from the boy -in his second year, Harry wasn't old enough to know what being a Founders Heir really meant. I would have kept information from him as well, had I been in the late headmaster's shoes."  
"He wasn't keeping anything about Gryffindor a secret, Severus, it was what Gryffindor kept secret from his own Heirs. It was why Voldemort feared Dumbledore, and why he was so afraid of Harry living to be taught by him. It was why he chose Harry for that ritual, and not some perfectly adaquate Witch. It's why he chose Tom Riddle as his first host. It's why it took place in Carmarthen."

Remus was frustrated. He'd promised himself that he would never say exactly what he knew, not until he had asked Harry's permission, but he could hint all he wanted. Severus knew enough about why he left, he just needed a little bit of help piecing the last of it together. He raked a hand through his hair and growled low in his throat. The potions master was normally much quicker than this.

"Slytherin and Gryffindor were strong on their own, but joining them was stronger. There was no female heir of-"  
"It's not about the bloody Founders, Severus, it's about Merlin! He wanted to start a new blood line from the oldest blood line. How can you not understand what I've been trying to tell you?"

"Because he hasn't seen the family trees."

They both turned to the door, only to see Hermione standing there, _Historia Regum Britanniae _held tightly to her chest. She had a very determined look on her face as she walked over, setting the book on one of the tables in the room. She took a deep breath and looked her husband in the eye, then Remus.

"How long have you been standing there?" the werewolf asked.

"Long enough." she answered. "When did you figure all this out, Remus?"

"I finished confirming my theories about six years ago, after my last trip to Stonehenge."  
"And you didn't think to tell anyone of your discovery? Didn't think to put our minds at ease by at least letting us know that you knew he was okay? I bet you thought we'd only want to know more if you told us anything, so you just kept your mouth shut and let us think he was probably dead."

Severus' jaw dropped, and he would have moved between his wife and his friend if he'd not been so shocked. He'd never heard her speak fo Remus like that, not even when she was incredibly pissed. He knew that Harry was a sore subject with her, and that it was better to just avoid the topic completely, especially after last night, but this was not her normal reaction. It had been a long time since she'd let her anger into her voice when she talked about it.

Remus, however, had expected this reaction, and it was exactly why he hadn't mentioned knowing anything about Harry's leaving. He growled low in his throat, trying to rein himself back in. He knew his temper, and knew that the fuse to it was incredibly short this time of the month, and with having to hand everything to Severus… this wasn't going to be one of his better moments.

"I did it to protect him!" he shouted, hurling his coffee cup at the wall behind her head. "The Wizarding World was just starting to piece itself back together after the longest reign of terror it'd ever seen, and this would have rocked it to its core. It would have destroyed everything he worked so hard to give us, and I couldn't do that to him. People expected so much from him, and he needed to be himself. He needed to spread his own wings and make his own life."  
"He was! He was happy, Remus, and he threw it all away because-"

"Because I was angry, and more than a little scared."

Their heads whipped towards the door, and saw Harry standing there, Tonks behind him with his daughters hand tight in hers. He was dressed in plain robes, and his eyes were sad as he remembered his leaving.

"I left because I was pregnant, Hermione, and because the world wasn't ready for that, or for the real me. I left because I didn't want Lucius to be Kissed, and I didn't want to watch my boyfriends' heart break when I told him I was the reason it had to happen. I needed more answers, and I needed to find myself, since I didn't know who I was any more. It was my choice, and Remus played no part in my making it. The only reason he knows anything is because of the Black family tree. Had he and Tonks not seen it, then they wouldn't have been inspired to look for answers. The only reason you pieced anything together today is because Dumbledore is gone. You were lead to Ravenclaw's common room today, after Poppy finished with you, and were shown her notes regarding the Founders, and the building of the castle, were you not?"  
"How did you…"  
"Because she asked if she could show you, and I said yes. You two should it down, before you fall down, because I'm about to tell you exactly why Remus was well within his rights to protect me the way he did, although it wasn't completely necessary. Thank you for that, my friend."

Harry extended a hand to the werewolf, expecting him to shake it, or to ignore him, but was instead pulled into one of the tightest hugs he could remember being given. He felt the familiar magic wash over and through him, and let his own go just a bit in kind. Remus, unable to hold back completely, whimpered, and held on tighter. He'd ignored the wolf where Harry was concerned, just to keep this feeling at bay, but now that the boy was home…

"Welcome home, Harry." he said, pulling back to look at him. "You've certainly changed."

"In many ways, yes. Tonks, would you mind showing Cyrenes around, while I take care of this?"

"Not a problem. Mind if I introduce her to Dobby and Buckbeak?"  
"Go right ahead. This won't take long."

Cyrenes shot her father a dirty look before following Tonks off to the kitchen, but wasn't really angry. She'd been hoping to get her apology out of the way so he'd unground her, but it could wait. Besides, she liked Tonks, and wouldn't mind getting to know the woman better.

Harry, on the other hand, was not looking forward to this explaination. He could almost see the gears inside Severus and Hermione's heads moving, and Remus, who would no doubt already know most of this information, would love to know the little bit of history he dug up while in the Ministry of Magic almost twelve years ago. He waved a hand at one of the armchairs, transfiguring it into one a little more comfortable, and motioned for the others to sit. He made note of the Potions Masters' frown and conjured up a fresh pot of coffee and set of mugs. A quick glance around the room and he noticed the bare section of wall where the Black family tree was once hung, and looked over at Remus.

"You can bring it back down, if you'd like. I'm sure Severus is eager to see how I'm listed on the tree, and Hermione's reaction to it will be quite entertaining." he smirked, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"I already know you're on the tree, Harry, so-" Hermione started, looking over at the tapestry as Remus flicked his wand at it.

"You saw it before anything regarding my current situation was put on it. Go ahead, take a look. Severus, you've already pieced together a bit about my daughter, but I think the beginning of the line is what will interest you the most."

As the old tapestry shimmered into view, Remus was the first to notice that there was something wrong with it. That it was different than when he last looked at it, two years ago. He followed the lines, and his eyes widened. Three generations had been added to the beginning of the tree, and one of the names was extremely familiar.

"Alya _Gaunt_." Severus breathed, stepping closer to trace the silver lines with his fingers. "The Blacks were related to the Guants."

"Hence the afinity for being sorted into Slytherin." Harry supplied, nodding slightly. "Recognize anyone else on there?"

The potions master looked at the names, brow furrowed. They were familiar, but he couldn't remember why. He did notice the metalic purple thread through Remus and Tonks' names, and the small star over their marriage line, as well as the faint purple line between Harry and Draco Malfoy. He understood the werewolves, but why his godson and Potter were-

"How long had you two been bonded, before it happened?"  
"Little over a month."

"Was it still new enough that he could…"  
"Yes, and it's very likely that he did. Can we not talk about him, please? It's bad enough that I saw him at the funeral..."

Remus was the first to notice the shaking, and immediately got up and headed over to the small store closet where he kept most of his every day potions. He sifted through a few, found what he was looking for and walked back over, pressing it into Harry's hand. Harry looked at it, and shook his head, trying to hand it back, but Remus wouldn't have it.

"Don't argue with me." he said, face set. "You need it."  
"I'll be fine."  
"No, you won't. I know what it's like, Harry, and it's not pleasant. Tonks took this for weeks after our mating, the pull was so strong."  
"I don't need it, Remus."

"Don't be so bloody stubborn and take the potion! I'll not have you fighting yourself to the point of exhaustion."

The exchange was so familiar, Hermione had to smile. She remembered similar arguments, either when Harry refused to eat, or when he was in the bathroom, sick to his stomach…. it all finally clicked, and she hung her head. They'd been watching the signs for weeks, and didn't realize what was going on. He'd told them he needed help, and they told him to go to Mungo's. He'd been afraid of what would happen if the world found out he was… but it wasn't unheard of for gay wizard couples to have children. She looked back over at the tree, and gasped. She'd figured out who's daughter Cyrenes was, but this…

"There's a lot more to you than you ever let on, Harry." she said.

"I didn't know any of this until Albus decided it was time I knew why Voldemort was after me, and what it was that made me so different from other wizards.

"What, if anything, do you remember about the Founders history?"

"The Founders created Hogwarts with the intention of teaching magic to all magical children, and three out of the four agreed that it should be students of any parentage, not just the pure bloods." Hermione said, sitting down and taking her husbands hand.

"That's common knowledge, found in 'Hogwarts, A History'; what else?"  
"If memory serves correctly, they were very solitary during their years building and teaching at Hogwarts." said Severus, making the pot pour him a cup of coffee. "They didn't marry until after the school was well established, and by then, they were nearly a hundred. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had the most children, I believe. Slytherin only had one son, and I'm not sure about Hufflepuff."

"You're right, Godric and Rowena did have the most children. Gryffindor was succeeded by his eldest, a boy named Geoffrey, and his two youngest -twins, one boy one girl- Aslan and Aislynn. Ravenclaws' oldest were a set of twins- boy by the name of Bertram, and girl named Branwen. Her younest was a girl named Lenore. Slytherin's son, Drakon, fathered a son and a daughter. The history of the daughter is unknown, but Drakon's line went on for many years, making the actual Slytherin line the purest, until one's first born was a daughter, and she married a Gaunt. They stayed as pure blooded as possible, until Alya's generation. Her marrying Sirius Black was the last time any of her line remained faithful to their forefathers wishes."

"So what of Gryffindor and Ravenclaws lines? What happened to them? They didn't just die out- you're living proof that Gryffindors magic is still strong."

"All their magic is still strong, regardless of the line it was brought into, it's just a matter of manifestation.

"Gryffindors eldest, Geoffrey, kept the actual line going, making sure that the marriages for all his heirs were to respectable wizards and witches, for nearly as long as Slytherin. He was nearly three hundred years old before he finally passed, and his line vanished, almost as if it died with him. I haven't been able to find anything on his family, so it is possible that his particular line has influenced many Gryffindor-sorted students at Hogwarts, but it's impossible for me to say if anyone is an heir or not."

"You are the last heir of any of the founders, Potter. Dumbledore would have found the others, if they existed."

"No, he wouldn't have. Each line was diluted enough for there to not be hundreds of people able to claim to be an heir, but in certain cases, it is possible for a witch or wizard to be classified as their heir. I'm the perfect example.

"Godric's youngest two are how I came to be his heir. Aislynn married a man by the name of Llewelyn, and that line has stayed extremely strong these many years. One of her decendants was my great-great-great-great-great-great aunt, Gwyneth. We went to school with David Llewelyn, who is an very distant cousin. My great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Geraldine, was a decendant of Aslan Gryffindor. His only child, a daughter, married a man by the name of Potter, and she started the line of heirs in them. It's an unwritten, magical law, one that predates our legal system, that basically says no person can call themselves an heir if they are not of direct decent of the witch or wizard in question. Through the Potter line, I am directly related to Aslan Gryffindor, and through my great grandmother, who was Dorea Black, I am related -although distantly- to Aislynn Gryffindor. The two lines joining, even on such a small level, put enough strength behind the Gryffindor magic for it to be written on the Gryffindor tree that I am the official heir."

"Which would have been easily discovered, had we researched your family history beyond the point that it is on file with the Minstry. How does this geneology lesson explain why you left, Potter?"  
"It's merely my back story. Riddle's was much simpler, as it went straight from the Gaunts to the Slytherins. Ravenclaws heir went to school with us, and I'm quite sure you all still keep in contact with her, even if it is reluctantly."  
"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Luna Lovegood." Harry smiled at the look of shock on their faces. "Bertram's line died out, after about a hundred years or so. Branwen's line became the Corvin line, and Lenore, who was a well known Seer, married a man by the name of Godelieve, and somewhere in the line, they changed the name to Lovegood."

"And Hufflepuff?"

"Died, about two years ago. Widowed woman, living in Paris. She never had any children."

The room slipped into an odd silence, until Tonks cleared her throat at the door. Harry looked up and nodded, and she and Cyrenes joined them.

"So now you know all about the Founders lines, and where they go, you should have some idea as to why I was important." Harry said, sipping his coffee.

"Did Sirius know you were distantly related to him?"  
"Yes. It's why he went to great lengths to make sure I was named as his heir. Wanted to keep -no offense to you or your mother, Tonks- the family line as pure as possible. It is the family motto, after all."

Tonks conjured up a separate pot of tea for Cyrenes and herself, and sipped quietly, waiting for someone to ask the important question.

"And Merlin plays into this how? Lupin was rather adamant that he was the reason behind all this." asked Severus.

"He is. The reason I asked what you remembered, or knew, about the Founders was because there's a very crucial piece of history that was, up until Remus discovered it, kept secret. Something that will change absolutely everything about the way we look at our history as wizards."

"And what would that be, Potter?"

"That the Founders weren't just extremely talented wizards and witches; they were Myrddin Emrys' children."

---

He raked a hand through his hair for what was very likely the thousandth time, and growled at the scrolls before him. Nothing told him what he wanted to know, and he'd been looking all afternoon. He tossed the one he was currently reading aside and sat back in his chair.

"You've looked through the same files every year for eleven years, Lucius. They still haven't changed."

He looked over his shoulder at the man that walked into the small study, and he felt his heart leap. It was very rare for his son to seek him out, and although he had a feeling that this was not going to be a pleasant meeting, he was going to take the little bit of contact without any questions.

"I take it that the rumor's true; he was at the Leaky Cauldron last night."

"Yes. All the Weasleys, and Severus and a few other professors, confirmed it. The Death Eaters and the demon are true as well."

"Is he still in London?"  
"I don't know."

Draco nodded to his father, and turned to leave, when a familiar pain in his chest caught him off guard. He stumbled, and reached for the wall, but was caught by a pair of strong arms instead. Lucius' eyes went wide as he recognized the energy he felt running through his son, and stepped back. Draco straightened his robes and continued on his way, as if it had never happened, but the entire floor gave a low rumble as he attempted to ground himself. Lucius wasn't going to let it go. If he was right, then he had done far more wrong to his son than he'd ever thought.

"Please," he said, voice catching in his throat, "tell me that's not a strained bond I just felt."

He stopped, and looked over his shoulder briefly, before starting for the stairs.

"Was it a full bond?" asked Lucius, starting after him.

"Don't ask questions you really don't want the answer to, Lucius."

"Draco."  
"Does it really matter?"

"I wouldn't have asked if it didn't matter!"

He grabbed his son by the shoulder and whirled him around, prepared for the curse or hex that he knew would come, and was surprised when it didn't. Silver-blue eyes met his grey, and he was shocked at the ammount of pain he saw in them.

"On my part, yes, it was a full bond." Draco said, pushing his father away. "He was abducted before I could finish it."

"How long had it been in place?"  
"Not long enough."

Without another word, Draco left the Department of Mysteries, and Lucius stood before the Veil, completely miserable. He hadn't known. His own son, and he had no idea…

"Interesting." an unfamiliar voice said, clearly amused. "Strong boy you've got, Minister."

He whirled around, and saw no-one.

"Show yourself."

A low, familiar chuckle met his ears, but still there was no-one there. With a wave of his hand, he'd lit the torches, brightening the entire department, and he cast a quick locator spell. He was the only one on this level. A light breeze -from where, he didn't know- ruffled the tattered curtain over the Veil, and he could have sworn he saw two people standing behind it, waving at him.

---

He knew the whole ordeal would be harder for them to handle, Hermione especially, but they'd taken everything pretty well. He chuckled, knowing that had it been anyone other than Snape and, well, Mrs. Snape, he would've been hexed six ways from Sunday, and he'd have a headache the size of the grand canyon from all the shouting. He'd told them about the Founders and about Emrys, and they'd both found it incredibly fascinating, and agreed that it would change everything if the whole wizarding world were to find out. They both wanted to see documentation, which he told them he'd provide once his business was complete here, and Cyrenes was off to school. Which brought them around to the topic of Hogwarts, and how much Cyrenes would like it. Eventually they'd gotten onto talking about babies in general, and from the looks Severus and Remus were giving him, he knew that he sounded incredibly queer.

"Who, other than Molly Weasley, do they have to talk to about this sort of thing?" he said, rolling his eyes at the other men. "It's not like Minerva can speak from personal experience, and Poppy… I don't think she has kids of her own."  
"Ginny and Neville do." Tonks supplied, moving to one of the book cases. "Little boy."

"Harry's going to be six over Christmas." added Hermione.

Harry blinked at her. Neville and Ginny were together. They had a little boy, and they named him after him…

"Who else?"  
"Bill and Fleur." said Remus. "They had twin boys the year you left. They'll be attending Hogwarts this year. Had another boy three years after they were born, and she just had a little girl, about two, maybe three weeks ago."

"Blaise Zambini married Pansy Parkinson, and they've got two girls, one four, the other just turned two." Severus said.

"That Patil twins both have kids, boys I think, and they'll be three in... November. I think." Tonks said, flipping through a photo album she'd gotten from the shelf.

"Charlie got married to a Romanian girl he worked with on the dragon preserve, and they're working on number five. The oldest is going to be ten in April." added Remus, taking his wife's hand as she found the page she was looking for and handed the book to Harry.

"And Ron's got Glynnis. She'll be eleven in March." Hermione said, leaning into Severus.

_That_ got his attention. Ron had a daughter that was only half a year younger than his own. He sagged in his chair, resting his head in one hand while he flipped through the album in his lap. Pictures of the whole gang, with their kids. With a heavy sigh, he flicked his wrist towards the old writing desk in the corner and paper and a few quills flew out, writing furiously on their own. Envelopes addressed themselves, a candle lit and the black wax dripped to seal the letters of its own accord. Before anyone could say a word, the envelopes were in his hand, and he tossed them onto the table next to his coffee.

"See that they're delivered, Griphook's first, if you please." he said.

It was highly entertaining to him, to watch all of his friends draw their wands, three pointed at the table, the fourth at him, as a dark form crawled quickly up the leg of the table, fell over the letters, and was gone before the first curse could be uttered. Tonks sat down immediately, feeling oddly drained, and Remus sat next to her. He would trust Harry, until given a reason not to. He'd only just gotten the boy back, he wasn't going to send him running now. Hermione also took her seat, dizzy, although she couldn't explain why. Severus, however, remained standing, and glared at him.

"What exactly are you, Potter?" he asked.

"The same thing Emrys, and all wizarding kind, are, Severus."

"And what is that?"

A loud crash came from the entrance hall, and the door to the room quickly shut, and glowed a light blue color. Harry was on his feet, wand drawn, as Dobby popped into the room, muttering apology after apology.

"Dobby is sorry, sirs! Tried to keep him out, Dobby did."

"Who, Dobby?" Remus asked, kneeling down to console the elf.

"The other Master, Remus-sir! Told the house it was bad idea to let him in, Dobby did! House wouldn't listen!"

"Oh, shit. Severus, your strongest locking and barring charms on the door, now! Hermione, the windows. Tonks, make the house understand that this is _not_ a good time for visitors."

Tonks' eyes went wide and she jumped to her feet. Cyrenes ran to her father's side as he clutched at his chest and fell to his knees, but kept her eyes on the werewolf. Tonks' eyes were now bright amber, as she moved towards the door, and transfigured one of the candle holders on the table nearest her into a small dagger.

"Send him away, to his flat." she said, slicing her palm and placing it on the door. "He's not ready for this yet."

"What is she doing?" Severus asked, frowning as his spells were ineffective.

"The house was built with blood in the mortar, it's bound to the family, like all old wizarding homes are." Hermione said, cursing under her breath at the windows. "She's trying to use the magic of the house to get rid of whoever it is that just showed up."

"Damnit, listen to me!" cursed Tonks, growling audibly. "I know you mean well, but it's not time for this!'

The house creaked and groaned under the stress of the magic coursing through it, and Harry took in a sharp breath. He knew who it was the second the house admitted him, and knew that it wouldn't listen. Not to Tonks, anyway. The house knew there was a bond that was in pain within its walls, and was going to try and set it right, no matter who told it what to do.

"It won't work. It feels-" he fell forward, the pain in his chest making breathing incredibly painful.

"Oh, balls." Cyrenes said, eyes slowly turning violet. "This is so not good. Mr. Lupin, do you have more of that potion, and a needle? Adrenaline would be great too."

"Potion I have, the others I don't. Is it that bad?"  
"He's holding himself back, that's why he's in pain. He's bound the magic of the bond within himself, and it wants-"

The door burst open, and an incredibly pissed off Draco stalked in, grabbing the werewolf by the collar. Severus moved to disarm the situation, as did Tonks, but Harry's whimper of pain stopped them.

"He's here, in London, and you didn't tell think to tell me?" Draco growled, magic causing the house to creak.

"Draco, please, now is not the time for this."

"Where is he?"

"R-right behind you." Harry managed to breathe, gripping his daughters' hand tightly.

Draco whirled around, and glared at the man at his feet. His magic cracked like thunder, and shook the entire house. Harry saw the blonde's eyes flare, and then passed out. The shadows in the room all shook and whispered as the bond between them was finally let go, and all that he'd wanted to say was said. Shocked silver-blue eyes met concerned green-violet, before Draco fell to his knees. Tears rolled down his face as he looked at Cyrenes, and he brought a shaking hand up, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. She looked down at her father, and swallowed hard. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

"Oh my God…"

TBC

Yes, I know, it's been ages since I've updated. But, long chapter, and it's been very uncooperative. As I believe I mentioned when I posted the prologue, I said that updates would be slow coming, and although this is slower than I had originally anticipated, I doubt that it will get any faster. I plan on having maybe four or five more chapters, all equally as long, if not longer, than this one, so don't expect updates to come quickly. I have a lot of information and what have you to cover -you got the bit about the Founders in this chapter- so it will probably be very slow going. Yes, I know, lots to swallow this chapter. But it was necessary to get to where we need to go. I have a 'modified' version of the Black family tree drawn up, if anyone would like to see it. The original tree (drawn up by the Lexicon) is still in tact, just a few additives.

Anyway, comments, questions, suggestions always welcome.


End file.
